Wikivoyage launches

Wikivoyage, the new collaborative travel guide project, launched yesterday with around 25,000 articles.

According to the project’s Welcome Page, the goals and the audience for this  multilingual space built on user-generated content are different from those of the its sister site, Wikipedia:

• We don’t want immense, detailed articles about anything and everything. We don’t create articles for every attraction or cross-roads on the globe. Articles in Wikivoyage are comprehensive references for travellers; subjects not directly or indirectly related to travel should be avoided.

• Wikivoyage is targeted towards print and off-line versions. We want travellers on the road to be able to access our articles. They should be able to access our articles without an Internet connection, or even keep a dog-eared printout in their back pocket. The print version matters!

In fact, a handy book creator allows travelers to easily create books containing the wikipages of their choice, export the book in a variety of formats, and order a print copy.

Articles in Wikivoyage are generally longer than those in Wikipedia. They present: historical information; directions on how to get there and how to get around; what to see and do; what to eat, drink, and buy; where to sleep; how to cope and stay safe; and more.

 

This article template functions as a guide for Wikivoyagers, people from all over the world who are dedicated to making Wikivoyage the best darn travel guide around. Most of us are people who stumbled across the site, just like you, and decided to share our knowledge.

Wikivoyage encourages an informal, practical, lively, rather than encyclopedic tone, for its content. It encourages original research–both factual and subjective (but fair) opinions–as well as a recognition that the traveller comes first.

You’ll want to share this with your world language and global studies teachers, as well as any traveling friends.